Unitary vs federal systems sized up

JAKARTA (JP): Aceh wants a referendum, East Kalimantan and Riau a federal system and Irian Jaya is seeking outright independence. Most other provinces want to keep the present unitary system of government, albeit with greater regional autonomy.

A seminar on the unitary versus federal systems of government brought together representatives of all the provinces in Jakarta on Tuesday. The gathering ended with divergent views on how to address the growing regional discontent which many agreed could lead to the breakup of the country.

Those demanding the most drastic changes were from resource- rich provinces such as Aceh, home to a huge natural gas industry, Riau, which produces most of the country's crude oil, East Kalimantan, a major producer of oil and gas, and timber, and Irian Jaya, with abundant copper, gold, silver and timber.

The demand for independence in Aceh and Irian Jaya has also been fanned by outrage at atrocities committed by the military.

Aceh Governor Syamsudin Machmud said the Acehnese lost all trust in the government's ability to uphold justice.

"Their patience has run out. They demand to be allowed to hold a self-determination vote."

He said Aceh was unfairly treated despite national recognition of its contribution to the country's independence struggle in the 1940s.

Chairman of the East Kalimantan Legislative Council Sukardi Jawo Putro said his province had officially proposed to become a state under a federal system of government, a move which would enable it to have full control over its natural resources.

"It is ironic that most people in our province still live in poverty despite the abundant deposits of oil and gas and forestry resources. Our natural resources have been exploited for the central government's interests. It's time we get what we deserve."

Jimny Ijie, a delegate from Irian Jaya, or West Papua as locals prefer to call their homeland, said people in his province have rejected the offer of sweeping autonomy.

"West Papuans don't care about the system of government. A more important question is whether the government is committed to improve the social welfare of the people," he said.

Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais said in his keynote address that a federal system could prevent the disintegration of the country.

"Only with the federal state can we defend national unity," he said.

Head of the 135-member Regional Representatives Forum Oesman Sapta said that given the growing aspirations for a federal system, the People's Consultative Assembly should look into the option when it convenes in August.

Once considered a taboo subject, federalism has recently been widely debated as the nation searches for alternative solutions to deal with the perceived threat of national disintegration. Many parties, including the government and the military, reject federalism.

Yogyakarta Governor Hamengku Buwono X warned the nation against experimenting with the federal system, saying it could lead to even more devastating consequences.

"Many areas will form states base on ethnicity or religion. We will have states of Pasundan, Java, Batak and Toraja. They will demand independence and Indonesia will collapse," he said during the gathering.

The Indonesian Military's Chief of Territorial Affairs, Agus Wijaya, said federalism would not right the wrongs of the past.

"We are committed to the unitary system. What we have to do is to correct the faults," he said.

State Minister of Regional Autonomy Affairs Ryaas Rasyid said the new law that offers sweeping autonomy to the regions should be given the chance to work first before the country looked at alternative systems.

Under the law, the regional administrations will be in control of everything except four areas -- monetary, foreign policy, defense and the judiciary -- which will be managed by the central administration.

He said the country should only move toward a federal system of government if it was overwhelmingly supported by the country's 200 million people. "We should hold a national referendum on the issue," he said.

In Semarang, about 100 members of the Young Generation of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) staged a demonstration opposing the federal system of government.

They also criticized Amien Rais for supporting federalism. (44/har/edt/rms)